Sudden deaths prior to hospitalization account for more than 55% of all cardiovascular deaths. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is found in 75% of the cases and brady-asystole (BA) in 25%. Although 15 to 20% of patients with ventricular fibrillation attended within 8 minutes survive, only 2% of patients with brady-asystole survive. This project proposes to: (1) Correlate the autopsy findings with the clinical findings obtained by paramedics and radio-recorded on tape by base hospital nurses and physicians on all patients dying from brady-asystole and ventricular fibrillation. Special attention will be paid to the coronary arteries; (2) Establish the effectiveness of "Fist Pacing" in brady-asystolic arrests in patients not responding to CPR and medications. A trial period of fist pacing for 30 seconds will be performed by the paramedics. If a QRS complex or a palpable pulse cannot be elicited, fist pacing will be discontinued and conventional CPR will be resumed; (3) Establish feasibility and effectiveness of emergency wire pacing in brady-asystolic cardiac arrests not responding to the usual CPR, "Fist Pacing" and medications. The feasibility of performing this procedure in the field has been established but the effectiveness in saving lives has not.